Spacer for roof structures

ABSTRACT

A spacer for use for mounting of spacing fillets on a underlayment with a distance between the underlayment and the spacing fillets, where tie spacer has a bottom plate with an upper side for abutting the underside. A spacer for use for the mounting of spacing fillets on an underlayment with a space between underlayment and the spacing fillets, where the spacer has a bottom plate with an upper side for abutting the underside of the spacing fillet, and the spacer on the opposite side of this bottom plate is provided with a spacing unit for abutting the surface of the underlayment.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a spacer for use for the mounting of spacing fillets on a roof underlayment with a distance between the underlayment and the spacing fillets. The invention further relates to a method for the fastening of horizontal spacing fillets on a roof underlayment.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

[0002] A traditional roof is built up with:

[0003] Rafters for supporting the roof construction.

[0004] Chip board or other kind of insulating board as roof underlayment covered with roofing felt or similar water tight layers.

[0005] Counter battens, which follow the pitch of the underlayment and create a space between the underlayment and the horizontal traversing spacing fillets.

[0006] Horizontal traversing spacing fillets, on which the roof covering is mounted.

[0007] Roof covering as for instance concrete tiles, tiles, slates or steel plates.

[0008] The horizontal traversing spacing fillets are fastened on to counter battens that ensure space between the underlayment and the horizontal traversing spacing fillets for the flow of water and air over the underlayment, which helps prolonging the life of the entire roof construction.

[0009] The establishment of such a traditional roof construction implies a disadvantageous situation for the craftsman, as will be explained in the following. As the underlying raters are covered by the underlayment including a water tight layer, as for instance roofing felt, the mounting of counter battens is complicated, as it can be difficult to determine, where the underlying rafters are positioned. This implies a working operation, wherein it is necessary to determine the distance between the rafters of the underlayment, before the mounting of the counter battens. In some cases, the result is that the spacing fillets only are fastened in the underlayment and not in the rafters as intended resulting in an unsatisfactory construction. This anchoring of the spacing fillets in the underlying rafters is important for the resistance of the roof against “elevation” by wind forces, as the outer roof covering in a traditional roof construction is anchored to the spacing fillets.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The purpose of the invention is to improve traditional roof constructions. It is a further purpose of the invention to simplify the construction of a roof and to reduce the material consumption during roofing.

[0011] According to the present invention this is obtained with a spacer of the type as mentioned by way of introduction, wherein the spacer has a bottom plate with an inner side for abutting the underside of the spacing fillet, and the spacer on the opposite side of the of this bottom plate is provided with a spacing unit for abutting the surface of the underlayment. Thus, the spacer substitutes counter battens by the roofing and is suitable for premounting on the spacing fillet.

[0012] In order for the spacer to be able to substitute counter battens, it has to be mountable between the horizontal traversing spacing fillets and the underlayment. The spacer can therefore be shaped into different geometries as for instance a polygonal plate, where the upper side abuts the spacing fillet and the underside is designed with a spacing unit, or an annular plate, where the upper side abuts the spacing fillet and the underside is designed with a spacing unit.

[0013] Alternatively, the spacer may comprise two polygonal plates, which are assembled into an angle, which is dependent on the sectional geometry of the spacing fillet, and where the inner side of the side plate and the upper side of the bottom plate abut the spacing fillet, and the underside of the bottom plate is designed with a spacing unit.

[0014] Preferably, the spacer comprises two square plates, which are assembled into a right angle in such a way that the sectional geometry resembles the shape of the letter L and with a spacing unit on the underside of the bottom plate.

[0015] In order to create the necessary space for the flow of air and water over the underlayment, the spacer on the underside of the bottom plate is provided with a spacing unit, which can be shaped in different geometries as for instance:

[0016] a number of parallel traversing battens, which by the mounting of the spacer will follow the pitch of the underlayment, or

[0017] an annular elevation, which by the mounting of the spacer, which will provide the free flow of air and water on both sides of the spacer, or

[0018] a polygonal elevation, which by the mounting of the spacer, will provide the free flow of air and water on both sides of the spacer.

[0019] If the spacer is designed as an elevation, it is important, in order to prevent damp, that the elevation is either closed or has openings in that part of the spacing unit which is directed towards the lower edge of the underlayment.

[0020] The fastening of the spacer on the spacing fillet can take place by driving a nail or a cramp either through the bottom plate or the side plate. In order to prevent the spacer or the spacing fillet from cracking caused by this type of mounting, the spacer can be provided with one or more mounting holes in the bottom plate or in the side plate.

[0021] For the mounting of the horizontal traversing spacing fillets it is most likely, that several lengths of fillet have to be used in order to cover an entire side of the roof. In order to obtain control and hold of the assemblings, the spacer may be mounted at the end of the fillets and provided with a locking device configured for sideways assembly with another spacer.

[0022] This locking device can be shaped as for instance two small angles with a sectional geometry as the letter L, which has been mounted “up side down” in relation to each other in such a way that they are engagable to lock for movements in a sideways direction. Alternative locking devices, which might be used, are glue, small screws, or clips.

[0023] In the space between the underlayment and the outer covering, different influences of air pressure, temperature changes, and humidity, will occur throughout the year. For this reason, the spacer has to be designed in a stable, durable and inexpensive material, for example a thermoplastic material—preferably recycled polystyrene. Alternatively, it may be produced of other materials, for instance metal as rust free steel.

[0024] In order to avoid the time-consuming working operation of marking the position of the underlying rafters on the underlayment prior to fastening the fillets on the right positions related to the rafters, the working operation may be simplified by premounting spacers on the horizontal traversing spacing fillets in such way that the distance between the spacers is related to the distance between the underlying rafters. This makes the mounting of all the horizontally traversing spacing fillets possible by one single measuring operation.

[0025] The method for the premounting of spacers on the traversing spacing fillets, and the following mounting of these can take place according to the following working operations:

[0026] Determining the distance between the rafters.

[0027] Adapting the spacing fillets in such a way that an assembling of horizontal fillets always takes place over an underlying rafter.

[0028] Marking the positions for the spacers on the fillet in relation to the underlying rafters. For instance the distance can be equal to one or two distances between rafters.

[0029] Fastening the spacers to the fillet on the marked positions with nails or screws.

[0030] For the mounting of fillets end to end, spacers are fastened at the ends of the fillets, which makes it possible to use the locking devices of the spacers for coupling together the end of the fillets.

[0031] The position of one selected underlying rafter, preferably one of the end rafters of the roof construction, is determined.

[0032] The spacing fillets with the premounted spacers are mounted on the underlayment by driving nails through the fillet, the spacer, the underlayment and directly down into the underlying rafters.

[0033] By using the spacer according to the invention, a simplified working process is obtained for the establishment of a roof construction, as the very simple working operation in the described method substitutes the mounting of counter battens.

[0034] For instance, the horizontal spacing fillets can be fastened in the rafters by driving a nail through the spacing fillet, the spacer, the underlayment and directly down into the rafter. In this way the fastening is simplified to one single working operation.

[0035] Moreover, the use of the described spacer increases the resistance of the roof construction against “elevation” by the strain of wind forces on the roof, as the horizontal traversing spacing fillets are anchored firmly in the underlying rafters.

[0036] The described spacer and method are especially suitable for the mounting of the horizontal traversing spacing fillets in a roof construction, on which a roofing is to be mounted for instance of concrete roofing tiles, tiles, slates or steel plates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The invention will be further explained with reference to the enclosed drawings showing not-limited embodiments of a spacer for use for die mounting of spacing fillets on an underlayment, where

[0038]FIG. 1 shows a front view of a spacer according to the invention,

[0039]FIG. 2 shows a side view of the spacer shown in FIG. 1,

[0040]FIG. 3 shows a plane view of the spacer shown in FIG. 1,

[0041]FIG. 4 shows a locking device for the coupling together of two spacers,

[0042]FIG. 5 shows the use of the spacer in a roof construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] In the shown embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, the spacer 1 comprises a side plate 2 and a bottom plate 3, which are coupled together into a right angle in such a way that the sectional geometry of the spacer 1 corresponds to the shape of the letter L, which especially appears from FIG. 2. The inner side of the side plate 2 and the topside 10 of the bottom plate 3 abut the spacing fillet 7. On the underside 11 of the bottom plate 3, the spacer 1 is designed with a spacing unit 4 in the shape of five traversing ribs, which abut the surface of the underlayment 8. The spacer 1 is fastened to the traversing spacing fillet 7 with ails or screws 12 driven through the mounting holes 5, which is shown in FIG. 2.

[0044] In FIG. 4 a locking device 6 is shown, which is shaped as two L-shaped angles 6 a/6 b, which are in a mutual engagement and lock the spacer in a sideways direction. The locking is achieved by placing a spacer with a downwards-directed L-angle 6 a down into a spacer with an upwards-directed L-angle 6 b.

[0045] In FIG. 5 the use of the spacer 1 is shown, which is mounted on a spacing fillet 7, with nails 10, which have been driven through the spacing fillet 7, the spacer 1, the underlayment 8 and into die rafter 9 underneath the underlayment 8.

[0046] The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the drawing and described above. Other materials and other detailed embodiments for the spacer are imaginable within the frames of this invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. Spacer suitable for use in connection with mounting of spacing fillets on a roof underlayment with a distance between said roof underlayment and said spacing fillets, wherein said spacer has a bottom plate with an inner side abutting the underside of said spacing fillet and that said spacer on the opposite side of said bottom plate is provided with a spacing unit abutting the surface of said roof underlayment.
 2. Spacer according to claim 1, wherein said spacing unit comprises at least one from the group consisting of a number of parallel battens, an annular elevation, and a polygonal elevation.
 3. Spacer according to claim 1, wherein said spacer is further provided with a side plate which is mounted in an angle, preferably a right angle, with said bottom plate, where said side plate is designed to abut the spacing fillet.
 4. Spacer according to claim 1, wherein said spacer is provided with one or more mounting holes in said bottom plate.
 5. Spacer according to claim 3, wherein said spacer is provided with one or more mounting holes in said side plate.
 6. The spacer according to claim 1, wherein said spacer is provided with a locking device configured for sideways assembly with another identical spacer.
 7. Spacer according to claim 1, wherein said spacer is made of stainless steel or thermoplastic material, preferably recycled polystyrene.
 8. Method for fastening horizontal spacing fillets on a roof underlayment with a pitch for support of an outer roof covering, where said underlayment is carried by rafters, where a spacer is mounted between said underlayment and said spacing fillets to allow the flow of water and air between said underlayment and said horizontal spacing fillets, wherein said spacer is mounted on said spacing fillets in predetermined positions, where said predetermined positions are related to the positions of said rafters, where said fastening of said horizontal spacing fillets on said underlayment takes place in one working operation, in which a nail is shot through said spacing fillet, said spacer and said underlayment into said underlying rafter. 